June 7th, 2020
June 8th to June 14th, 2020
MONDAY – YVETTE PIRES – Requested by Maria Saunders TUESDAY – WEDNESDAY – THURSDAY – FRIDAY – SATURDAY – DECEASED FATHERS OF THE CHUCHRA & WROBEL FAMILIES – Requested by Wanda & Jack Wrobel SUNDAY – 10:30 AM – SUNDAY – 12:30 PM –
Jesus Christ, you traveled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness.” At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.
Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care. Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbors from helping one another.
Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders. Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.
Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace. Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.
Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace.
Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.
Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace.
Jesus Christ, heal us.
Kerry Weber: A Coronavirus Prayer, American Magazine, March 2, 2020
For the latest update from the Archdiocese of Toronto, please visit: https://www.archtoronto.org/media-centre/news-archive/chancery-news/Update-on-Church-Closure-During-COVID-19
A Government of Canada funded Canada Summer Jobs Program position
St. Gabriel’s has received a Canada Summer Jobs grant to hire a Garden Helper for 9 weeks at 30 hours per week. If you are a youth between the ages of 15 and 30 who might be interested in applying, please send an application with your resume to stgabrielsparish@bellnet.ca. You can also visit https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/youth for more information on this position. The deadline for application is June 15, 2020.
As we anticipate the reopening of the Church for weekend Masses, disinfecting the pews and high touch areas is one of the many measures to keep our Church safe for everyone. Any parishioner who wants to volunteer their time in disinfecting the pews after each weekend Mass can sign up by sending an email with your name and contact details, indicating which Mass you would be available for, to stgabrielsparish@bellnet.ca
If you would like to spend some time to pray in the Church, you may contact the parish office at 416-221-8866 to make an appointment.
Living the Gospel by supporting married couples
Married for three years, Phil and Helen were expecting their first child when Phil revealed a secret: he had a son from a previous relationship. Feeling betrayed by Phil’s dishonesty, Helen learned about affordable couples counselling at Catholic Family Services of Toronto. Over 10 weeks of counselling, they learned to take the risk of being honest rather than using deceit to keep the peace. Phil and Helen found a new sense of confidence as a couple and starting feeling excited about the arrival of their baby.
Your gift to ShareLife is helping!
Did you know that while parishes remain closed, ShareLife agencies are as busy as ever? That’s because those who are poor and marginalized are disproportionately affected during a crisis. Your support of ShareLife ensures Catholic agencies can continue their work on the front lines, helping the many people who are suffering. Please give securely online at sharelife.org/donate.
Due to Covid 19, the ShareLife collections have been postponed. Parishioners can contribute online at sharelife.org/donate or by dropping off or mailing their contribution to the parish office.
Each month food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre. Unfortunately, with the current COVID-19 situation, we cannot accept any food donations at this time.
While we wait for updates from these outreach ministries, let us always be mindful of what they do.
Rosalie Hall assists young parents and their children to realize their potential through the provision of a wide range of child development, community, residential and educational services.
Good Shepherd provides hot meals and shelter for the homeless in our city as well as a chance to start again through the Resettlement or DARE Programs.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, Catholic Family Services have moved their counselling and psychotherapy services online in an effort to continue to help their clients who are struggling with their mental well-being in this difficult time.
If you are suffering from mild to moderate mental health issues or are experiencing difficulty in your relationships, we encourage you to reach out to them and take a step towards a happier and healthier life. Catholic Family Services offer a variety of services, so whether you are an individual, couple, or family, their counsellors will explore your concerns with you and help you work towards your goals.
Sessions are conducted through the OnCall Health platform, which provides you and your counsellor with a secure and private video connection, since your privacy and confidentiality is of the utmost importance to them. To learn more about these counselling services or to find out how you can get started, please visit the Catholic Family Services of Toronto website at: https://www.cfstoronto.com/client/cfs/cfs_lp4w_lnd_webstation.nsf/page/Counselling+Program!OpenDocument
While our cemetery gates remain closed during our regular operating hours, the gates will be opened for family visits on the cemetery grounds only. Our hours of operation for families visiting will be as follows: Monday – Saturday: 4:30 PM to 7:30 OM Sundays and Statutory Holidays: 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Our mausolea remain closed until further notice. Entry to the cemetery and mausolea during regular operating hours will only be provided to those attending a funeral or burial, those with a scheduled appointment and for essential deliveries.
Physical distancing requirements and attendee number restrictions are in place at all times in keeping with provincial Guidelines.
Although our Churches have remained closed since March 15th, 2020, our outreach programs and pastoral presence remain active.
Because there were no Masses celebrated with public participation, there were no offertory collections taken up. The reality is that our parishes rely on the support of their parishioners to operate through weekly offertory collections. Parish salaries, programs and ongoing operating costs (heating, water, electricity, etc.) are funded through the generosity of its parishioners. There is a challenge for the parish to maintain operations without the weekly offertory collection.
Monthly contributions to the Parish by monthly Pre-Authorized Giving or by credit card through “Donate Now” continue automatically.
Please consider changing your offertory giving, at this time, to monthly Pre-Authorized Giving. Forms are available at the Parish office or on-line at the Parish website in the “Weekly Giving” section under the Finances tab.
You may also mail in or drop off your offertory envelope at the parish office on weekdays and weekends at regular hours.
| Posted in Bulletin |
May 31st, 2020
| Posted in Events |
Today we celebrate the wonderful feast of Pentecost. Luke describes the event in our first reading. Together with Mary the mother of Jesus, the disciples were together in prayer but behind locked doors. They feared that the execution of Jesus was just the first step in the efforts of the religious leaders to wipe out the followers of Jesus, especially since the word was out that Jesus had risen from the dead.
Suddenly the room was filled with the sound of a violent wind and strange tongues of fire rested on each of them and each of them was filled with the boldness of the Holy Spirit. Luke’s description of Pentecost insinuates that the Holy Spirit dissipated all their fears and drove the Apostles out of that locked room into a street crowded with pious Jewish pilgrims from around the world and gave them voice to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.
In Paul’s letter to the Christian community in Corinth he writes about the many gifts of the Holy Spirits and tells them these gifts are meant to the good of the whole community. But the Corinthians seemed fixated on the gifts of tongues. Those with had that gift saw themselves as specially blessed over all others. Today most of us get nervous when we hear charismatics and evangelicals talking enthusiastically about being filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. For most of us it’s just not our way.
Most of the time we just plod through our pedestrian spiritual lives with no fireworks.
I think our problem is that we don’t know how to recognize the Spirit’s presence in our lives. I think we experience the Spirit’s presence not just at special moments, but every day of our lives. We just don’t recognize it.
Instead of imaging a bombastic action of the Holy Spirit in our lives, can we imagine that the Holy Spirit quietly nudges us with a little poke, pushing us forward toward a deeper living of our Christian lives? The Spirit may poke us to be patient when a spouse of an elderly parent asks the same question over and over or they can’t remember where they left their glasses or their hearing aids, or their teeth.
The Spirit may nudge us to be more patient with ourselves as we cope with being socially restricted or find ourselves getting uptight with not having anything to do and feeling useless. We might be nudged to get out of the house and take a walk and get a breath of fresh air
The Spirit may nudge us sit and think or nudge us to just sit, trusting the world is in God’s hand. We may be nudged to turn off the depressing daily news reports every now and then. Who needs it?
The Spirit could give us a poke, push, a nudge in these days of boredom to say the rosary or read a bit of scripture. It might be a nudge to say a prayer for those suffering this virus and those who care for them and say a pray for those taken by this virus and those who mourn for them.
As we celebrate this great feast we can pray for ourselves and for each other that we be blessed to feel and respond to that nudge, that poke of the Holy Spirit that pushes us out of own concerns to be there for others.
| Posted in Homily |
June 1st to June 7th, 2020
MONDAY – TUESDAY – MARCELINO FERNANDES – Requested by Tita Fernandes WEDNESDAY – THURSDAY – FELIX CHAN – Requested by John Chan FRIDAY – CATHERINE MINNAN-WONG – Requested by Noreen Chen SATURDAY – GUS & MARIE CALDERONE – Requested by their Family SUNDAY – 10:30 AM SUNDAY – 12:30 PM
For all who have contracted coronavirus, We pray for care and healing. For those who are particularly vulnerable, We pray for safety and protection. For all who experience fear or anxiety, We pray for peace of mind and spirit. For families who are facing difficult decisions between food on the table or public safety, We pray for policies that recognize their plight. For those who do not have adequate health insurance, We pray that no family will face financial burdens alone. For those who are afraid to access care due to immigration status, We pray for recognition of the God-given dignity of all. For our brothers and sisters around the world, We pray for shared solidarity. For public officials and decisionmakers, We pray for wisdom and guidance. Father, during this time may your Church be a sign of hope, comfort and love to all. Grant peace. Grant comfort. Grant healing. Be with us, Lord. Amen
Every gift to ShareLife is a sacred trust
At ShareLife, we pride ourselves on being responsible and accountable to you, our generous donors. By keeping administrative and fundraising costs at 11% – one of the lowest in the nonprofit sector – we ensure the maximum amount possible goes to the vital work of our agencies.
While our cemetery gates remain closed during our regular operating hours, the gates will be opened for family visits on the cemetery grounds only. Our hours of operation for families visiting will be as follows:
Monday – Saturday: 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM Sundays and Statutory Holidays: 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Physical distancing requirements and attendee number restrictions are in place at all times in keeping with provincial guidelines.
Monthly contributions to the Parish by monthly Pre-Authorized Giving or by credit card through “Donate Now” continue automatically. You may, however, drop off your envelope at the parish office or mail it to the parish.
May 24th, 2020
Founded by St. Paul of the Cross, every Passionist takes a special vow to spend his or her energies in promoting remembrance of the sufferings of Jesus, the memory of the Cross, and reflection of the meaning of the Cross for the world.
Learn about Passionists and our insignia »
Companion for the Walk of the Stations of the Cosmic Earth
St. Gabriel’s Garden – Guided Sensory Reflective Walk
